Saint Gregory of Neocaesarea in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

Saint Gregory of Neocaesarea was a rare man. The mere fact that when he went to Neocaesarea he found few believers (17 Christians are mentioned), while when he left, he left few unbelievers (also 17 in number), reveals the zeal of his faith, the power of his word, the power of the miracles that God granted him. The Holy Hymnographer cannot help but apply to him the prophetic saying: “the zeal of God has consumed you, Gregory.” Seeking to find figures similar to Gregory, the ecclesiastical poet, Saint Theophanes, resorts to the Patriarchs and Prophets of the Old Testament. The Saint resembles Moses, he says, who, like him, received the tablets of faith on the mountain of mystical theophany, legislating piety to the people: “You have become a new Moses through your deeds, receiving the tablets of faith on the mountain of the mystical theophany, legislating piety to the peoples.” He resembles the Prophet Samuel, who ascended the mountain of theoria: “ascend on high, like Samuel, to theoria.” He resembles the Prophet Daniel, who, just as the gift of interpreting dreams was given to him, the mystery of faith was revealed to him in a dream: “for as the dream was to him (Daniel), so the mystery of faith was revealed to you.”

Saint Hilda of Whitby (+ 680)

St. Hilda of Whitby (Feast Day - November 17)

Brief Life

Hilda, born in Northumbria in 614, was a grandniece of King Edwin of Northumbria and daughter of Hereric. Hild is her correct name and means "battle." Both she and her uncle were baptized by Saint Paulinus at York in 627, when she was 13. She lived the life of a noblewoman until 20 years later she decided to join her sister Saint Hereswitha at the Chelles Monastery as a nun in France. In 649, Saint Aidan requested that she return to Northumbria as abbess of the double monastery (with both men and women, in separate quarters) in Hartlepool by the River Wear.

After some years Saint Hilda migrated as abbess to the double monastery of Whitby at Streaneshalch, which she governed for the rest of her life. Among her subject monks were Bishop Saint John of Beverly, the herdsman Caedmon (the first English religious poet), Bishop Saint Wilfrid of York, and three other bishops.

Prologue in Sermons: November 17

One Can Attain Salvation In Any Rank

November 17

(A Sermon on Eucharistos the Shepherd)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

I have often said that salvation can be found not in a monastery, but in the world as well, and, indeed, in any rank, and to convince you of this, I have repeatedly cited examples of saints who, like you, were of humble rank and unlearned, and entered the Kingdom of Heaven. Now I intend to prove the same point again, and I believe the example I will give will be instructive for you.

Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

Saint Matthew, sitting at the customs house, as a tax collector, heard the Lord say to him: "Follow me." At that very moment he got up and followed Him. He gave him great hospitality in his house, as the Gospel says, and he was numbered among the Apostles. He, after receiving the power of the Holy Spirit and learning divine things, wrote the Gospel according to him and sent it to the Jews. He taught the Parthians and the Medes, founded a Church, and after performing many miracles, he was then perfected by fire by the unbelievers.

Saint Theophanes, the hymnographer of the service and of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, focuses our attention on two main points through his hymns about him: first, on the fact of his calling by the Lord, so that from a publican he could become an apostle; second, on the writing of his Gospel. In order to understand the significance of this conversion, one should know that the term “publican” at that time was identical with the term “sinner”. This is because the publicans were those who, by renting the taxes that the sovereign Romans had imposed on the Jews, later demanded them multiplied. They were therefore considered to be those who literally “sucked” the blood of the people, due to their great injustice. In fact, the following incident has been recorded about him, which very directly reveals the sinfulness of tax collectors. A tax collector who went to collect taxes from a poor Jew found that he had died a few days prior. So what did he do? In order to extort payment from the relatives of the deceased, he dug up the corpse and began to scourge it. Thus publican and sinner were identical terms.

Prologue in Sermons: November 16

For Lovers of Church Singing

November 16

(From the Words of our Holy Father Pambo to his Disciple)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

There are many Christians who love church singing and participate in it. Not to mention that church singing is generally a pleasant activity for singers, it is also beneficial for them. The Church of God specifically mentions them in one of its petitions to the Lord, thereby asking for His special favor.

But it's a great pity, brethren, that some singers sin only when they sing. They usually try to outshout others singing with them, thereby disrupting the overall harmony of the singing and tempting the congregation, arousing either anger or mockery. To admonish such singers, I believe it would be useful to offer the commentary of one of the Holy Fathers on inappropriate singing, and at the same time his lesson on what true singing should be.